Certainly, this had, all along, been my stable datum. To me, it had been evident that other people are, indeed, greater than others. Consider those involved with the landmark discoveries. The likes of Galileo, Newton and others—including those of our modern times—Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Who can argue that such people cannot be compared with the ordinary?
Interestingly, I had assumed the same—even in Christianity. In my view, people like St Paul, Peter and the rest of the early disciples could not be compared with anyone of their times. This is notwithstanding that Jesus had made the point very clear, regarding fallacy in assuming that consideration:
“But you are not to be called rabbi by others, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled and whoever humbles himself will be exalted” (Matthew 23:8-12) (ESV).
Customarily, it is regarded as normal to refer to one’s parent as “father.” But Jesus tells His disciples to avoid calling anyone on earth “father.” Jesus was never recorded as having called His own earthly father, Joseph, “father,” while on earth. Anyone can make an assumption that He did so, in private.
But that assumption is nullified by the fact that Jesus instructed His disciples not to call anyone on earth, “father.” The consideration of our earthly parents as deserving of our honour, is applicable in the Old Covenant. In Jesus we revert back to our original condition of having been created in God’s image.
It is only recently, that all this was revealed to me—without any shadow of doubt. All humans are equal, one to the other—but with peculiar talents and capabilities. Nevertheless, none is greater than others, regardless of what may be considered as commendable achievements.
“Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1:26-27) (ESV).
Although appearing as if this Scripture is referring to a single person, it is referring to all humans, known to have ever existed on this planet. Those created humans were to have dominion over everything created by God.
Now the most funny, if not silly mistake, is to compare those people, one to another. How could one make such a silly mistake—referring to those created in God’s image? Of course, it is true that the capabilities of people created in God’s image cannot be similar. This is just as we know that in a physical body, the body parts have different, but complementary functions.
The mouth cannot do what the feet are capable of doing, and vice versa. But one cannot start comparing those body components to determine which one would be greater than the others. The body parts complement each other, rather than competing against each other.
The currently most serious human deficiency, is lack of knowledge—let alone appreciating the purpose of one’s own existence. The idea of adulating other people, or other things, comes from the confusion of not knowing the purpose of one’s own existence. This is exactly from where the idea of marveling about other people’s great achievements, came from.
When one’s existence appears as irrelevant—one seeks to do only what is considered important by others. All this is compounded by the fact that new ideas are not easily acceptable, when compared with what already exists.
While the purpose of education ought to bring new ideas, those new ideas are always considered as if against what already exists. Only on rare occasions do educationists grant substance to what has not been known before.
The idea that each individual was created with peculiar capabilities, is unacceptable to a system already discourteous of what was created in God’s image. Apparently, most of those living in this world, are good actors—living to act other people’s lives—rather than their own.
For instance, the purpose of their being created is not known, or mostly despised. They, therefore seem to identify themselves with what is considered respectable by other people. For instance, as much as the cleaning function should be granted the esteem that it deserves—it is regarded as unimportant.
The uneducated people are the ones preferred with the task of cleaning—under the supervision of those considered superior. But the so-called superior people, would not be sufficiently educated, to appreciate professional cleaning, for instance. This describes how clumsy, our educational system is, in the current civilization.
Under the current educational system, one can become a professor in some other unrelated fields. Yet the same person could have, otherwise, been the most capable cleaner. The person would be extremely unaware of his/her natural cleaning capabilities. He would be trying to impress others, on activities, not identifiable with the purpose of his/her existence.
Proper education should be that which helps a person to identify with the purpose of his/her creation. Not what other people suppose the person was created to be. For instance, why does it seem unimpressive to produce graduates in professional cleaning? Why can’t there be someone attaining a Masters or a Doctorate, specializing in cleaning—like any other activity of value?
Why should it be necessary for another person to determine what should be important or unimportant for his fellows? In as much as God peculiarly created us with different individual skills, none was created with skills to criticize others. None has a right to criticize other people’s responsibilities.
This is like a foot trying to criticize the eye for not portraying good visual capability, or vice versa. The respective functions of each human body part, reveals how God intended humanity to work in harmony with one another. This was clearly elucidated by the apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 12.
God never created other humans to be inferior to others. Or rather, God never created human beings to be compared—one with others. This comparison idea was a result of confusion brought about by the author of confusion. Jesus, came to establish the reality of what was created in God’s image. I suppose this could be one of the major reasons why Jesus declared:
“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with the judgment you pronounce, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye” (Matthew 7:1-3) (ESV).
Let us examine the ‘log’ that Jesus referred to—in the eye of a person who simply seeks to help a friend—aiming at improving his capabilities? Let us get this straight; the ability to spot a speck in another person’s eye, denotes carrying a log? Undoubtedly, Jesus declares that correcting a friend implies carrying a log—different from a speck, as spotted on a friend’s eye?
This can be extremely confusing, as long as viewed in the context of applying such teachings, in conformity with Law-keeping. However, what Jesus said is applicable only to those having become God’s children. Such people are no longer under the Law, but under God’s grace. This marks the cause of all confusion in Christianity, as known to exist today.
Jesus declared Himself as being the only Teacher. The rest of humanity ought to view each other, simply, as brethren. However, this should not be confused with Jesus doing His work through other people. God uses other people to correct those needing correction. That is as long as the one correcting does so, in Jesus’ name. See [Pastor—The centre of confusion in Christianity].
Only Jesus is qualified to carry the only sin of humanity. The rest of us are simply under his grace. The log that Jesus referred to, is the sin of pride, denoted by John the Baptist (John 1:29). Those assuming the responsibility to correct others, without Christ’s involvement, assume Jesus’ responsibility—with the consequences of the cross. Which no other human being could carry (Galatians 3:13).
The question that immediately crosses many people’s minds would be: How then is Christianity applicable in our environment? The author of Christianity, Jesus, has the answer: Christians have got nothing to do with the businesses of sinfulness in this world. That is God’s responsibility, through Christ Himself. The rest are brethren (Matthew 23:8-12).
What Jesus instituted in His Church, through the apostles, is a miniature of God’s Kingdom—which signifies equality among all. This should not be difficult to understand—to those aware of the fact that God created humanity in His own image. Judging another person implies that the person judging would be judging God. How else can a person be stupider, when behaving like that?
Judging one another is, basically, known to be the activity of this world. This will continue, until Jesus’ second-coming. But there is a clear distinction between what happens in this world and what was established by Jesus, through His disciples. What Jesus established is the reality of what remains, as representing the value of God’s Kingdom.
No-one is greater, or smaller than others in this world. But under the current confusion, other people appear as greater. Others are considered as despicably incomparable to those regarded as great. Unfortunately, the things that are apparent, are not always necessarily the reality of what is true.
Jesus’ mission was basically to set that record straight. There is no-one greater or smaller than others in this world. All were created in God’s image—although, currently, people are entangled in total confusion. What is viewed as magnificent achievements by the so-called great people of this world, is a reflection of the existing confusion. Otherwise, all humans are equal in God’s eyes. See [All are equal in Christianity].
The so-called great achievements can be marvelous—but only to the sinful humanity. Having been created in God’s likeness, each human cannot be compared—one with the other. Each carries the capabilities that identify with God’s greatness. Ever since Jesus descended onto this planet, it is unnecessary to remain in confusion that blinds humanity.
What makes it impossible to recognize this reality—even by those claiming to be committed in Christianity—is the capture of Christianity—through falsehood. God’s Church got captured, after the demise of the first century apostles. What became established, through Catholicism had little to do with what had been established by Jesus.
This is not difficult to perceive, for those sincerely seeking to be guided, only by God’s truths. However, the Protestants who broke away from Catholicism—could not resist sustaining the leadership pattern—ensconced in Catholicism.
They formed their own Church groupings—snowballing into what currently exists in Christian faith. Confusion, itself, is a mixture of what is good and bad—making it difficult for anyone to perceive wrongness among those diversified Christian denominations.
Most of those Church leaders appear as more genuine than others. But it takes only an analytical person to discover errors in what is projected in each and every one of those Christian varieties. The only trap one can easily fall into, is attempting to negatively denounce them, according to one’s own judgement. The critic would then be regurgitating the same confusion—currently existing among those Christian groupings.
Having appreciated the truth—as coming from Jesus—one is expected to then take full responsibility to teach others. Agreeably, this cannot be easy—as Jesus said so in Matthew 7:13-14. This implies confronting evil with good. The stable datum being what Jesus Christ taught—not the person’s own opinion.
We are used to rejoicing when others say good things about us. But Jesus said that we should only rejoice when persecuted by others (Matthew 5:10-12). Acquisition of knowledge is, actually, a favour from God. But the person blessed with such knowledge is bestowed with full responsibility for the failings of his brothers. See [The only time a Christian should be depressed]
A truthful person cannot be unaware of how threatening it is to redeem fellow Christians from their comfort zones—showing them the significance of God’s calling. Nevertheless, as long as one is gifted with knowledge—that person carries the responsibility to salvage his fellows from the gallows of deception.
Life on earth is extremely short. It is a question of what one does with the gift of life, during that short period of one’s existence. I suppose nothing is as important as carrying Jesus’ message to others. Because this is the only hope of the salvation of humanity. Nothing else can be of greater importance.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing reliefs to those having witnessed strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. In a simple conversational tone, most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long awaited providential oasis of hope.
The Print copy is now available at Amazon.com for $13.99
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